The Key to a Canary's Heart
by Dragoon23
Summary: Summary: Modern-ish AU: Sara, the most desirable women in town, proclaimed she would marry whoever captured her yellow canary. Nyssa isn't interested.


Nyssa scoffed when she heard down the grapevine the latest antics of the blonde woman. Sara had announced she would marry who ever successfully took the little necklace on her canary which sent the town into a frenzy. The only rule was one could not kill or harm the bird.

Nyssa briefly entertained the idea of trying her hand at it before dismissing the thought as quickly. As if the blonde would want a partner who was as damaged as her. The dark haired woman cracked her knuckles and grabbed the large plywood. This roof wasn't going to fix itself and she still had much to do.

So far, there were at least twenty different attempts that mostly involved food and netting but the crafty little bird outsmarted them all. Nyssa listened in amusement of each failed attempt and cheered on the little bird with each failure.

One day, she was taking a lunch break on a roof, eating her sandwich when she heard chirping above to her. She looked up in surprised at the canary looking at her as it perched on a tree limb.

Nyssa gave a slight wave of her hand as she called out, "Well, hello there. Heard you're causing a lot of trouble in town."

The bird chirped back, fluttering and looked very proud of itself. Nyssa shook her head and went back to her food. And if she threw a part of the bread for the bird to eat, well it wasn't harming anyone.

Soon, Nyssa found the little bird at most of her job sites, perch somewhere near. Sometimes the canary would stay quiet, and other times it'll chirp up a storm until the exasperated woman gave part of her meal to the bird who happily pecked at the bread. As Nyssa watched the bird hop around near her, she shook her head. "You're a strange little bird. Shouldn't you be torturing your admirers instead of staying with me?"

The bird whistled and puffed it's chest out. Nyssa shrugged as she said, "Alright, suit yourself."

The attempts died down as more and more people gave up, but that didn't stop the bird from visiting Nyssa.

"Hello again, little bird. I heard about your latest escape. Very creative."

Nyssa thought perhaps she was finally losing it, talking to a bird but it seemed to like it when she spoke so she opened up a little.

"Here's some seeds. Should be healthier than the bread and so I can actually finish my whole meal for once."

The bird would hop closer and closer until Nyssa could have grabbed the bird and the pendant, but she never did.

"I hope Sara is enjoying her suitor free days."

The bird looked sharply at Nyssa then, but she didn't notice as she was lying down on the roof, looking up at the clouds. "You know, I thought I'd try like everyone else, throw my cards in and see what happens. But I figured, even if I somehow won, Sara deserved so much better than...Well anyway, break time over. You'd think people in this town would know how to prepare for storms better but here we are."

Nyssa sat up and shook the memories away as she absentmindedly rubbed the long scar on her right forearm. She heard loud whistling and looked down at the bird who headbutt her leg and looked up at her. Nyssa hesitantly lowered her hand and smiled when the bird chirped happily as Nyssa lightly scratched its head. "Well, I guess that means you don't hate me, huh?"

She laughed when the bird lightly nipped her finger in retaliation. "Okay okay, got it."

She didn't get as much done as she would like that day, but found she didn't mind with the little canary perched on her shoulder, happily chattering away at her ear.

She looked forward to those days when the little bird chirped happily and landed on her shoulder, keeping her company. A couple of times, Nyssa could have sworn the bird was puffing it's chest out more, as if to ask her to take the pendant but she shrugged it off as her imagination and gave the little head a scratch.

"I'm not sure why you decided to hang around me so much, but you're welcome to whenever."

Nyssa awoke to a tapping noise at her window and grabbed the baseball bat by her bed. She cautiously approached the window, and rolled her eyes at the yellow bird looking up at her. She dropped the bat on the table and, against her better judgement, opened the window letting the bird hop in.

"What are you doing here, little one? Wouldn't Sara be worried?"

The bird fluttered around, taking in the sparse furnishings. Nyssa shook her head, her exhaustion catching up with her. "Have at it. Try not to destroy the place. Not that there's much left to destroy."

After retrieving the bat and putting it back near her bedstand, Nyssa yawned and collapsed back into bed. She fell asleep to rustling noises and happy whistling. When she awoke, she noticed the bird was sleeping on the bedstand, leaning against the lamp. Nyssa shook her head and quietly left to check the damage the bird did to her apartment.

Thankfully, there was only some torn papers and Nyssa made herself some breakfast and dropped some seeds for the bird when it flew in. "You should be back with your human. I'm sure she's worried about where you've been."

The canary whistled and hopped around. Nyssa, shook her head and went to retrieve her car keys. "Well, come along. I don't want her to think I kidnapped her bird, that would be the most humiliating thing to add to my record."

When Nyssa turned around, she dropped her keys, eyes opened wide, mouth gaping.

Where the bird was, now stood a smirking Sara, holding the little pendant in one hand. "I don't think Sara minds, bird-napper."

"Sara?!"

"The one and only. You're too damn noble to just take the necklace that was freely offered so here I am."

Nyssa hesitantly approached the other woman. "Are you sure? I meant what I said earlier. You deserve far better than, well me."

Sara smile grew soft. "You know why I hung around you? You're the only one who wanted to genuinely befriend me as a bird. Everyone else only went after the bird to get to the necklace. Sides..."

Sara gently grabbed Nyssa's right arm and touched the long scar. "Chicks dig scars."

Nyssa rolled her eyes but smiled. "Fine, but I'm taking you out on a date first before marriage."

Sara laughed as she pulled Nyssa down for a kiss.

"Deal."


End file.
